1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically dispensing measured amounts of food and particularly for dispensing predetermined amounts of unbaked dough onto a moving conveyor in a commercial oven assembly.
2. Description of The Prior Art
Large commercial bakeries depend on highly sophisticated conveyors, ovens and related mechanisms for baking and packaging literally thousands of cookies or the like in a single day. In spite of the current level of automated equipment, however, it has proven extremely difficult to massproduce what are known as "swirl" cookies. Swirl cookies are those having a very attractive arcuate pattern generally ascending to a peak in a shape similar to an Archimedes spiral.
The general method and approach of the prior art is to rotate a nozzle having a configurated opening above the support conveyor to develop a circular or cylindrical pattern to the dough being dispensed. If each locus point were traced however, a plurality of circles would be developed about the axis of rotation since each locus was maintained at a constant radius of rotation. This mechanism would not therefore create a swirl having a radius changing about the axis of rotation. In addition those machines required individual drive mechanisms for each nozzle and was therefore extremely expensive.
One alternative known prior art mechanism achieves a swirl by rotating the whole die mechanism through a desired path. This type of mechanism requires a substantial drive which is far too complex and expensive. In addition, its size and complexity has prevented ready desired speed or rate on a mass-production basis. Thus, there is a need in this art for an improved dough dispensing device capable of producing a plurality of preselected swirl designs on a mass-production basis.